All the United States Oregon

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Oregon

231 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Oregon

Updated September 28, 2026
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Cities

State not visited
VISITED THIS STATE
Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Ashland
  2. Astoria
  3. Baker City
  4. Bend
  5. Brownsville
  6. Cannon Beach
  7. Cave Junction
  8. Christmas Valley
  9. Corbett
  10. Corvallis
  11. Crater Lake
  12. Eugene
  13. Florence
  14. Fort Rock
  15. Government Camp
  16. Klamath Falls
  17. La Pine
  18. Mc Kenzie Bridge
  19. Mc Minnville
  20. Mitchell
  21. Oregon City
  22. Pendleton
  23. Portland
  24. Redmond
  25. Rockaway Beach
  26. Salem
  27. Seaside
  28. Silver Lake
  29. Sisters
  30. The Dalles
  31. Tillamook
  32. Valley Falls
  33. Yachats

Unusual Attractions in Oregon

Places

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See All 231 Things To Do in Oregon

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Oregon

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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

11 Out-of-This-World Places You Can Reach in Your Car

Sponsored by GMC Terrain

The best road trips are those that seem to take you to new worlds: surreal-looking beaches, wondrous parks, and roadside oddities that make you do a double take. For instance, in Wisconsin, a local plumber has rigged a natural aquifer into a series of ice sculptures; in Utah, erosion has created a series of rock formations that look like something between an army of goblins and a series of abstract landscapes; and in New Mexico, rippling white sands stretch out to the horizon as far as the eye can see. The best part? You can reach these—and eight more—places by car (with the occasional walk from the parking lot). So pack some snacks, pull up this itinerary, and hit the road.

View Itinerary

Explore Oregon

Geology 26
Museums 21
Water 21
Nature 21
Collections 18
Natural Wonders 18
Plants 17
Ecosystems 13

Oregon Leaderboard

Recent Oregon Activity

Stories About Oregon

GPS-tagging whimbrels on Chiloé Island in southern Chile.

Wings of Survival

A world-first race with nature
by Timm Döbert, Community Contributor
Places like Forest Grove linger on the edge of wilderness and civilization.

Listening for Echoes of the Forest Grove Sound

A physics expert and audio engineer may have solved the mystery of a strange noise that rattled an Oregon town in 2016.
by Colin Dickey, Atlas Obscura

Meet the Giant Salmon With a Weaponized Mustache

Spike-toothed salmon grew nearly nine feet long and sported tusk-like teeth.
by Roxanne Hoorn, Atlas Obscura
Scio kolaches often come with apricot or sweet poppy-seed fillings.

Saving the Scio Kolache

A local take on a Czech pastry is fading along with the community that birthed it.
by Sarah Lohman, Atlas Obscura

Podcast: Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum

This former general store and medicine shop in Oregon is a perfectly preserved time capsule.
by The Podcast Team, Atlas Obscura
Two-form Bumble Bee (Bombus bifarius) Male foraging in Goldenrod (Solidago) flowers, Mt. Hood, Oregon USA

To Save America's Native Bees, the Oregon Bee Project Is Mapping Every Single One

The project aims to make a complete 'bee atlas,' detailing every single local pollinator.
by Kate Raphael, Atlas Obscura
A sea lamprey that’s clearly ready for its close-up—and for a new appreciation of its role in its native ecosystems.

Sea Lampreys, Long Reviled, Are Finally Getting Some Respect

Once dismissed as "ugly," this sucker-mouthed fish plays an important role in its native ecosystem.
by Ted Williams, Atlas Obscura
The top tier of Shizuo and Frances’s wedding cake, which has miraculously survived since they were married in 1943.

Found: An 80-Year-Old Wedding Cake With a Tragic Past

Frances Nishimura preserved this sweet keepsake for generations.
by Natasha Varner, Atlas Obscura

Lists Featuring Oregon

Darlingtonia State Natural Site.
An aerial view of the rose garden.
The H-4 Hercules, aka “Spruce Goose.”
Pete French Round Barn.

7 of Oregon's Most Magical Places

Sponsored By Travel Oregon
7

Including Darlingtonia State Natural Site, International Rose Test Garden, and The Spruce Goose

Tamástslikt Cultural Institute
The Bigfoot Trap
Outside Hippo Hardware in Portland.
Antler chandelier plus interior of restaurant

7 Destinations for a Different Kind of Oregon Trail

Sponsored By Travel Oregon
7

Including Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, The Bigfoot Trap, and Hippo Hardware

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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